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Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756 -1791)
Die Entführung aus dem Serail:
1. Hier soll ich dich denn sehen (Belmonte) [3:07]
2. Konstanze, dich wiederzusehen (Belmonte) [5:33]
3. Wenn der Freude Tränen fliessen (Belmonte) [4:47]
4. Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke (Belmonte) [6:26]
Die Zauberflöte:
5. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön (Tamino) [4:12]
6. Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton (Tamino) [3:05]
Così fan tutte:
7. Un’aura amorosa (Ferrando) [5:02]
8. In qual fiero contrasto... Tradito, schernito dal perfido cor (Ferrando) [3:36]
Don Giovanni:
9. Come mai creder deggio ... Dalla sua pace la mia dipende (Don Ottavio) [5:15]
10. Amici, amici ... Il mio tesoro (Don Ottavio) [5:27]
La clemenza di Tito:
11. Se all’impero, amici Dei (Tito) [5:17]
Peter Schreier (tenor)
Walter Olbertz (harpsichord)
Staatskapelle Dresden/Otmar Suitner
rec. Lukaskirche, Dresden, 1967
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300754BC [51:53]

Peter Schreier became a member of the famous Dresdner Kreuzchor immediately after the war at the age of ten and was quickly featured as alto soloist. There are recordings of him from that period. When he grew up he trained as a tenor and made his professional debut in 1959. He soon took on the role of Belmonte in Die Entführung and somewhat later also Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. His operatic career lasted until 2000 when his final role was as Tamino. Though he was a very versatile singer and regarded as one of the foremost Lieder interpreters, Mozart was a composer he returned to over and over again. He also sang all the roles represented on this disc in complete recordings: Entführung with Böhm and Harnoncourt, Zauberflöte with Sawallisch and Colin Davis, Così, Don Giovanni and Clemenza di Tito with Böhm. He took part in several recordings of early Mozart operas under Leopold Hager and his talents also extended to conducting Mozart.

The present recordings were made early in his career, when he was just over 30. He proves a stylish, reliable and technically accomplished Mozartean. The florid writing in Ich baue ganz is negotiated very well. Sadly, his tone is not very ingratiating, not even as early as this and one misses the elegance of singers like Leopold Simoneau, Nicolai Gedda and Fritz Wunderlich. Occasionally his phrasing can be decidedly foursquare as in the opening of Hier soll ich dich den sehen. What one can’t deny is that his Tamino is well sung. He delivers in a straightforward manner but it's hardly aristocratic; after all, Tamino is a Prince. His inward Un’aura amorosa (tr. 7) is exquisitely vocalized and there is warmth in his voice. This is by some distance the supreme reading in this recital. There are several places in Dalla sua pace, where he sings with the utmost elegance and creamy tone. His recitatives are expressive and Il mio Tesoro is energetic and powerful with skilful runs. He also sports a good trill in the Tito aria. Staatskapelle Dresden play well under Otmar Suitner, an experienced expert on Austro-German music. The recording is good with this issue having been mastered from the original Eterna tapes.

Admirers of Peter Schreier will want this disc, now available again. General opera-lovers buying it can rest assured that they will get a good, reliable Mozart recital but without the last frisson of elegance.

Göran Forsling

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